Princess Diana's fashion through the years

Meagan Morris is an entertainment and lifestyle journalist living in New York City. In addition to SheKnows, Morris contributes to many publications including The New York Times, Yahoo! News, PopEater, NBC New York and Spinner. Follow he...

Happy Birthday, Princess Diana

Today is Princess Diana's 50th birthday. Let's remember the People's Princess with a look back at some of her style throughout the years.

July 1 marks the day that the late Princess Diana would have turned 50 years old. The People's Princess is still missed greatly, though many royal watchers see the legacy of Di in both her sons, Prince Harry and Prince William, and Kate Middleton.

What would she been doing today if she were still alive? Designer and close friend Bruce Oldfield has an idea.

"I don't think she would have turned into one of those ladies who lunch or who are on the boards of endless charities. There was no self-aggrandisement behind her choices. She took things on where she could make a difference. [...] I doubt she would have stayed in the UK," he said. "I could see her in the United States, but not Europe -- for a start she didn't speak any languages. But New York, yes, I could see her walking down Fifth Avenue and being allowed to get on with it."

We're remembering Diana today, too -- but instead of age-progression, we're looking at her iconic fashion over the years. Yes, Diana was a trendsetter -- she took the stuffiness out of royalty and made them relatable.

The original royal wedding

We couldn't get enough of Wills and Kate's royal wedding on April 29, but the wedding between Princess Diana and Prince Charles in July 1981 was the first to capture the world's attention. Princess Diana's dress -- designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel -- still captures our princess fantasies.

Stylish mum

Princess Diana and Prince Charles welcomed Prince William into the world in June 1982, but that didn't signal the end of her fashion days. Here she is rocking a frilly dress and red pumps while frolicking with Wills in New Zealand.

(Stylish) mom duty

Di loved her dresses, but she could still wear a pant outfit and look like a 10. Here she is with William as a toddler -- check out those gold flats! We want.

Dancing with the stars

Diana wore a Victor Edelstein gown to the White House state dinner in 1985. The look -- complete with a sapphire-and-pearl choker -- is one of the Princess' most iconic looks. Gotta love her dance with a young John Travolta!

Getting down and dirty

Princess Diana was known for her charity work around the globe. Unlike many pose-and-go royals, Diana actually got down in the trenches to work -- complete with jeans and blouses. No simple photo opps for her.

One of her last photos

This photo of Diana greeting London schoolchildren was taken in June 1997, just two months before her tragic death in Paris. Her breezy white dress signaled a more relaxed -- and happier -- time for Diana.